Alternatively occupant propelled or motor driven roundabout

ABSTRACT

An amusement ride for children, the device comprising a stand that supports a horizontally rotatable frame consisting of a pair of crossing arms, each of the arms at its outer end being attached to a riding unit which consists of a horse-shaped body supported upon a front and rear wheel that travels on the ground, the front wheel having foot pedals and the horse shaped body having a seat for a rider. The foot pedals are removable and a pair of stirrups are releasable to hang down upon opposite sides of the horse-shaped body. An electric motor mounted on the stand has a gear engageable with a gear mounted on the underside of the hub supporting the crossing arms whereby the pedals may be removed and the roundabout motor driven.

United States Patent Ottaviano June 27, 1972 [54] ALTERNATIVELY OCCUPANTPROPELLED OR MOTOR DRIVEN ROUNDABOUT 21 Appl. No.2 113,550

Lakin ..272/44 X 3,424,132 1/1969 Fischer et al 272/39 X FOREIGN PATENTSOR APPLICATIONS 1897 Great Britain ..272/33 B Primary Examiner-Anton O.Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Amold W. Kramer [57] ABSTRACT An amusementride for children, the device comprising a stand that supports ahorizontally rotatable frame consisting of a pair of crossing arms, eachof the arms at its outer end being attached to a riding unit whichconsists of a horse-shaped body supported upon a front and rear wheelthat travels on the ground, the front wheel having foot pedals and thehorse shaped body having a seat for a rider. The foot pedals areremovable and a pair of stirrups are releasable to hang down uponopposite sides of the horse-shaped body. An electric motor mounted onthe stand has a gear engageable with a gear mounted on the underside ofthe hub supporting the crossing arms whereby the pedals may be removedand the roundabout motor driven.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures ALTERNATIVELY OCCUPANT PROPELLED R MOTORDRIVEN ROUNDABOUT This invention relates generally to amusement ridesfor children.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a novelamusement ride for children which consists of a merry go round havingseveral riding units each one of which includes a wheel that is footpowered by a rider.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a merry go roundfor children to enjoy riding by pedaling an which provides a healthyexercise.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a merry go roundwhich will keep small children in a yard while riding so that they donot ride in the back of a car backing from a driveway or rolling outinto traffic in a street.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a merry go roundwhich also teaches small children the value of team work andcoordination by several children all pedaling at the same speedtogether.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a merry goround which unlike a tricycle or bicycle will not tip over, therebypreventing a child from becoming injured when falling or bumping intoother objects.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a merry goround which when used out-of-doors may .incorporate a light canopysimilar to a lawn umbrella for being placed thereupon so to protectsmall children against s falling rain or against excessively strongsunlight for a long duration.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a merry goround which alternately can be built on a small scale as a toy for veryyoung children of creeping age and which could include a seat and backand arm rests for supporting the very small child, and wherein suchchild may be strapped in and learn to push himself forward and backwardto develop use of the legs for earlier walking.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a merry go roundwhich is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged inconstruction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be evident upon a study to followspecifications and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the present invention shown with aportion thereof broken away for greater clarity,

FIG. 2 is a view taken in the direction 22 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a view generally similar to FIG. 1 and showing a modifieddrive mechanism.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, and particularly at this time toFIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the reference numeral represents a merry go roundaccording to the present invention wherein there is a central stand 11which includes a horizontal base 12 for being placed upon a ground 13,the base 12 supporting an upstanding and vertical post 14 which can besteadied additionally by the use of diagonally extending radial outwardbraces 15. The upper end of the post 14 supports a freely rotatableframe 16 comprised of a pair of crossing arms 17, the outer ends of thecrossed arms 17 each having a riding unit 18 secured thereto.

Each riding unit 18 includes a flat body 19 in the shape ofa horse, thebody being supported upon a front wheel 20 and a rear wheel 21 whichride upon the ground 13. The front wheel is provided with foot pedals 22upon which a child 23 may place his feet 24 so to provide a drivingpower to the merry go round. A horizontal seat 25 is secured upon thebody 19 and a pair of sidewardly extending handle bars 26 serve toreceive a child s hands 27 for holding himself upon the riding unit 18.

It is to be noted that for greater detail of construction, the frame 16includes a rotatable hub 28 through which the crossing arms 17 extend,the hub being rotatable about the post 14. Additionally, each of theriding units includes a fork 29 secured by bolts 30 to opposite sides ofthe body 19 as shown. It should be further noted that the merry go roundincludes thus four riding units each one of which are spaced atrespective to each other. A socket 31 on an inner side of the horseshaped body 19 serves to receive a downwardly bent end 32 of the arm orboom 17.

The horses body or bodies may be attractively painted so as to appeal tosmall children. They may be made of sheet plywood or other desirablematerial according to the judgment of the manufacturer. The booms orarms 17 as well as the stand 11 can be made of lightweight tubularmetal. All of the moveable or rotatable structure of the merry go roundis sufficiently light enough so that even a single rider finds it easyto pedal and move the device.

In operative use, it is now evident that one or several riders can atthe same time pedal the riding units so to cause the units to travel ina circular path around the central stand 11.

In a modified form of the invention as illustrated in FIG. 3 of thedrawing, the merry go round 33 is provided with foot pedals 22 beingmade removable and a pair of foot stirrups 34 being released to hangdownward so that a child may place his feet therein. The device insteadof being foot powered is in this instant driven by an electric motor 35mounted upon a platform 36 secured to the center post 37 of the stand38, the motor driving a gear 39 that engages a gear 40 secured to theframe 41. Thus a child can enjoy a ride without pedaling so to give thefeeling that he is traveling a powered vehicle in the manner of anadult.

What I now claim is:

1. In a merry go round, the combination of a stationary stand, arotatable frame supported upon said stand, and said frame at its outerends having a plurality of riding units secured thereto for travellingin a circular course, each of said riding units being adaptable for achild to ride thereupon; said stand comprising a flat horizontal baseupon which there is an upstanding post, a plurality of diagonallydownward extending braces for additionally supporting said post in avertical upright position and the upper end of said post being adaptablefor supporting said frame, said frame comprising a freely rotatablepivoted hub, said hub supporting a pair of crossing booms or arms, oneof which at its opposite ends is secured to said riding units, each oneof said riding units comprising a body of flat plywood material which isconfigurated into the shape of a horse, said body being supported upon afront wheel and a rear wheel which travel upon the ground, said frontwheel being provided with foot pedals, a pair of sidewardly extendinghandhold elements secured to said body, a seat being positioned uponsaid body so that a rider may be seated and said body being attractivelycolored so to appeal to children, said foot pedals being removable and apair of stirrups being releasable to hang down upon opposite sides ofsaid horse shaped body, said frame having a gear on the underside ofsaid hub which is engageable with a gear on a motor shaft of a motorsupported upon a platform secured to said upstanding post of said standfor electrically rotating said frame, said motor being locatedimmediately adjacent below said crossing booms with only a narrowclearance space therebetween.

1. In a merry go round, the combination of a stationary stand, arotatable frame supported upon said stand, and said frame at its outerends having a plurality of riding units secured thereto for travellingin a circular course, each of said riding units being adaptable for achild to ride thereupon; said stand comprising a flat horizontal baseupon which there is an upstanding post, a plurality of diagonallydownward extending braces for additionally supporting said post in avertical upright position and the upper end of said post being adaptablefor supporting said frame, said frame comprising a freely rotatablepivoted hub, said hub supporting a pair of crossing booms or arms, oneof which at its opposite ends is secured to said riding units, each oneof said riding units comprising a body of flat plywood material which isconfigurated into the shape of a horse, said body being supported upon afront wheel and a rear wheel which travel upon the ground, said frontwheel being provided with foot pedals, a pair of sidewardly extendinghandhold elements secured to said body, a seat being positioned uponsaid body so that a rider May be seated and said body being attractivelycolored so to appeal to children, said foot pedals being removable and apair of stirrups being releasable to hang down upon opposite sides ofsaid horse shaped body, said frame having a gear on the underside ofsaid hub which is engageable with a gear on a motor shaft of a motorsupported upon a platform secured to said upstanding post of said standfor electrically rotating said frame, said motor being locatedimmediately adjacent below said crossing booms with only a narrowclearance space therebetween.